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Tuesday August 18, 2026 
18 August 2026
For Jess Turner, life is a collection of stories. While she has spent over a decade in the legal profession, her true passion lies in the narratives that define the human experience. This September, the Kirribilli local will return to the Sydney Fringe Festival, with Spectrum, running from 15-19 September 2026.
What is now a full-length production began as a single poem about autism and the experience of growing up neurodiverse. Turner originally performed the piece as part of the ‘Ground Zero’ program at Brand X, a multi-arts organisation dedicated to emerging artists.
It was there that she caught the attention of Rowan Atkinson (not the Mr Bean Atkinson), then the head of programming at Sydney Fringe. Recognising the potential in her 12-minute performance, Atkinson approached Brand X to see if the work could be expanded.
Under the guidance of director Kate Bookalil from the Flight Path Theatre, Turner spent months developing the poem into a comprehensive stage show. Following a successful premiere and a run at the Adelaide Fringe, Spectrum returns to Sydney this year.
Described as a series of vignettes, Spectrum follows the life of a character named Alma, a name Turner chose because it means “soul” in Spanish. The story follows Alma’s journey from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, capturing the moments of comedy and reckoning that come with navigating a world not always easy for neurodiverse minds.
Rather than focusing solely on the challenges of autism, Turner aims to champion the beauty and brilliance of neurodiversity. “Just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s not brilliant,” Turner explains, noting that the show is intended to highlight how these unique perspectives drive creativity and innovation.
Stepping onto the stage is no small feat for Turner, who describes herself as a “naturally very shy” and soft-spoken person. However, she finds motivation in the support of the community and the importance of the narrative. “The story is more important than my nerves about it,” she says.
“The fact that I get the opportunity to tell this story and we’ve had such wonderful feedback from it, from neurodiverse people saying we really felt seen by the show that it makes me want to do the show even though I’m naturally very shy,” Turner shares.
The show has already had a significant impact on many audience members, from people being moved to tears to a young neurodivergent girl who found a sense of validation in Alma’s story. A new immigrant to Australia told Turner the show resonated, resonated with her experience of feeling different and not understanding how structures work. Another audience member’s mother explained to Turner that Spectrum was a turning point for her daughter who once feared going out.
This year at the Sydney Fringe Festival continues to bridge the gap between different ways of experiencing the world, one performance at a time.